Art Maier: Recycled and recovered

Tuesday

Recycling almost caused some serious Bible-writing losses. Today, scholars try to get back what is possible from the treasured remains.

Recycling almost caused some serious Bible-writing losses. Today, scholars try to get back what is possible from the treasured remains. It is more proof that times really haven't changed.

“100 percent recycled material,” or similar words, are now seen on many books and package wrappings. It sends a message that the company is supposedly environmentally conscious and economically smart. Maybe the environmental concerns are modern, but not the idea of recycling.

A popular writing material in ancient times was tanned animal skin. Even now, thin leather is used for some diplomas and other very prestigious documents. We usually call it parchment, or vellum. Parchment sheets were used by many early church scholars for Bible copy work and other literature.

Unfortunately, ancient scribes had to compete with shoe and coat makers for skin supplies. As time went on, these scribes could hardly find enough parchment for their work.

As often happens in history, necessity became mother to invention – this time to invention of method. Scribes found that dried ink could be scraped off parchment without doing much surface damage. Of course, a little of the old ink often remained, but the parchment was usually suitable for reuse.

Such a twice-used page came to be called a “palimpsest.” The term comes from the Greek “palimpsestos,” meaning “scraped again.”

If parchment supplies became very scarce, scribes didn’t care what kind of writings had to be scrape sacrificed. Parchments with Bible texts and other important literature were reused, with ruthless lack of sentiment.

The losses were, however, eventually seen as alarming. In A.D. 691, a kind of church decree ordered that Bible writings and writings by certain Christian scholars could no longer be used for palimpsests.

Today, quite a few palimpsests are in museums. By careful examination, older words under the second, overlaid writing can often be detected. To the joy of modern scholars, valuable old texts have been discovered in the palimpsest under writings. These include copies of Bible sections.

Some underlying, first layer palimpsest Bible writings are known to be very old. They help show that much of the Bible was originally written by people who lived at or close to the time of the events described in the writings.

The people of Bible times were basically like us. They had our same needs and problems. The Bible message brought salvation to them, just as it can bring salvation to us. That message tells us, first, that we sin. The message goes on to say that God himself, as Christ, came to take the penalty of our sins. All who believe in Christ will have forgiveness of sins and life forever in heaven.

With its great spiritual force, the message of Christ can turn a person’s life into a kind of palimpsest – really! Faith in Christ can bring some big changes. Harmful old habits and ideas can be wiped away. A better life can be planned.

Bible history -- and secular history -- shows us many outstanding men and women who rose to greatness after receiving Christ as savior. For them, faith did indeed lead to a life of new accomplishment.

If you haven’t yet, put faith in the message of Christ.

What next? Well, that will be up to you and the Lord’s direction in your new life. Certainly, one way or another, you can use your talents to be an ambassador for Christ in your area of this needy world.

You can be sure that souls will be introduced to Christ’s gospel. You can also look forward, with confidence, to the glories of heaven, your home at eternity.

Art Maier is a semi-retired teacher, environmental science specialist and calligrapher. He is a contributing editor to Pen World Magazine and has appeared regularly on the “Pepper & Friends” television show, demonstrating for hand disabled persons and others how to use pens. He is a regular columnist for the Boonville Daily News in Boonville, Mo. He can be contacted at artmaier@sbcglobal.net.